'People of Bengal got the change they deserve'

"You just made history, my son," Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told son Abhijit soon after he defeated his Forward Bloc rival Dipak Chatterjee from Nalhati in Birbhum by more than 15,000 votes.

"Congress won from the Nalhati constituency in 1962 last and its tenure came to an end in 1967. After that, the constituency has always been a Left Front stronghold," Mukherjee told rediff.com on Friday afternoon.

"I am happy and proud. The win could not have been possible without the hard work put in by thousands of Congress workers. I owe every bit of this win to them," he said.

"I gave up a cushy corporate job at the Steel Authority of India Limited and plunged into politics. For the last three months, I toiled round the clock. I am glad that my labour paid off," Mukherjee told rediff.com.

"I dedicate this win to the people of Bengal. They got the change that they deserve," he said.

The Left Front went to a great length in its conspiracy to make him lose, he alleged.

"From tying up with the Bharatiya Janata Party to using muscle power to terrorise the people of this constituency, the Front took all possible measures," he said.

"I was sure to win by a much bigger margin but for these manipulations. However, all's well that ends well," Mukherjee signed off.